IT was all too much for Wales. Weakened by injury, down to ten men early in the game when James Collins was sent off, they had to rely on Belgium’s goodwill to avoid being hammered.

The massed Belgian fans in one corner of Cardiff City’s ground lifted a banner that said ‘Respect to Gary Speed’ in memory of the former Welsh manager who died so shockingly ten months ago.

The Belgian team showed as much respect.

If you weighed this contest in gold, Belgian’s expensive superstars would have won it easily, but it needed a run-of-the-mill Vincent Kompany header from a corner just before half-time for the visitors to take control.

And Jan Vertonghen blasted in a thunderous free-kick in the 82nd minute to ensure there were no late shocks.

It allowed Wales to hold their head up in this opening World Cup qualifying game in Group A – but Brazil 2014 is a long, and probably disappointingly painful, way off.

As if Wales had not got enough to deal with, they lost one of their best players, Joe Allen, to injury and illness and another, Collins, after 26 minutes, when he was sent off.

Wales have not reached a World Cup for more than 50 years

Liverpool’s Allen had been feeling unwell and then a slight injury in training on Thursday meant he could not be risked, bringing more disruption to the pre-planning for one of the most difficult games Wales will have in the group.

The total value of the Belgium squad is over £200m, with £115m of that having been spent by English Premier League clubs.

Belgium lined up with seven Premier League players to Wales’ eight – and there was no doubting which nation had the better quality.

Wales had to hope that Belgium’s concentration might not be at its highest, and they got inspiration in the tenth minute when David Edwards almost nipped in on a Steve Morison header. Gareth Bale, a Welshman to be put up against any Belgian, sped down the right seven minutes later, but his cross was too high for Simon Church.

With Craig Bellamy also injured and not playing, the Welsh attacking options were limited and they needed to take advantage of big moments like that, especially with Collins leaving the game early.

Eden Hazard bamboozled Edwards to get a Belgian attack on the way and Collins was trying to retrieve the situation when he tackled Guillaume Gillet just inside the Welsh half of the field.

It looked like a yellow card when Swiss referee Stefan Johannesson walked over, but it was red, the official saying the tackle was dangerous.

Collins had cleared one potential dangerous moment with an important header and Dries Mertens bent a drive just wide. But Wales had their weapon in Bale, who panicked Belgium when he ran, and not long before half-time Bale was away again. He set up a chance for Morison that he could not take, it was a big moment.

In the 42nd minute Belgium were ahead. Mertens swung in a corner and Kompany got away from Darcy Blake to connect with his header at the near post.

Belgium were comfortable and easy paced, but Bale’s swerving free-kick in the 60th minute needed a good save from keeper Thibaut Courtois, his first of any significance.

Wales have not reached a World Cup for more than 50 years, but Belgium’s record is not clever either, with none in the last 10 years.

So maybe that is why Belgium were protective rather than proactive, but they still ran out comfortable winners.